Jordan

Most nationalities can get a visa on arrival (JOD 40) at Queen Alia Airport and most entry points — but if you're staying three or more consecutive nights, the Jordan Pass waives the visa fee entirely and bundles Petra plus 40 other sites, so buy it online before you fly. One important exception: the Allenby/King Hussein Bridge crossing from the West Bank does not issue visas on arrival — arrange a visa in advance if entering there.

Almost always yes — the arithmetic is decisive: the pass costs JOD 70-80 depending on how many Petra days you choose, while the visa alone is JOD 40 and Petra entry JOD 50-55, so the pass pays for itself even if Petra is the only site you visit. It only fails the maths if you're staying under three nights (no visa waiver) or skipping Petra entirely — a rare itinerary.

One full day is the strict minimum; two are far better. The Treasury — the facade everyone knows — is only the first fifteen minutes: beyond it lie the Street of Facades, the Royal Tombs, the Colonnaded Street and the Monastery, a 45-minute climb that rewards with a facade even larger than the Treasury. Start at opening time to beat both heat and crowds, wear proper walking shoes (a thorough visit covers up to 10 km), and consider the two-day pass tier.

You float — swimming is effectively impossible in water roughly ten times saltier than the ocean, and you shouldn't try: keep your face dry, because the brine stings eyes badly. Don't shave the day before, avoid it entirely if you have open cuts, and shower promptly afterwards. Treat it as a twenty-minute float plus a mineral-mud application, not a beach day.

Yes — the overnight is the experience. A jeep tour shows you the rock bridges, inscriptions and Lawrence's Spring in a few hours, but the desert's real theatre begins after the day-trippers leave: sunset on the sandstone massifs, dinner in a Bedouin camp, and one of the densest star skies in the region. Book a camp in advance and let the camp arrange the jeep — that's the standard, reliable pattern.

Seven to ten days covers the classic circuit comfortably: Amman and Jerash in the north, the Dead Sea, Petra with two days, a Wadi Rum overnight, and Aqaba's reefs to finish. With less than a week, cut Aqaba before you cut Petra time; hikers should add two days for the Dana-to-Feynan trek. Distances are short — it's one of the most rewarding compact itineraries in the Middle East.

Jordan is one of the most stable and safest countries in the Middle East, with low petty crime and a visible, helpful tourist police. Normal travel precautions suffice, including for women travelling solo. Stay clear of the border areas with Syria and Iraq, dress modestly outside resort areas, and expect Friday closures for the holy day — practical rhythms rather than safety issues.

Spring (March-May) and autumn (September-November) — mild days for Petra's trails and Wadi Rum's sands, and comfortable floating weather at the Dead Sea. Summer is fierce at the low-lying Dead Sea and Aqaba and harsh in the open desert; winter is surprisingly cold in Amman and Petra, which sit at altitude and occasionally see snow, while the Red Sea coast stays pleasantly warm.